CASTE PICTURIZATION IN AMBEDKAR’S

AUTOBIOGRAPHY WAITING FOR A VISA IN ACCORDANCE

WITH THE MOVIE JAI BHIM BY TJ GNANAVEL

Project Report Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Award of Degree of Bachelor of Arts in
English of the University of Calicut

By
ANEENA M
(TGAUAEGR35)

MARCH 2023
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

MSTM ARTS & SCIENCE COLLEGE POOPALAM

PERINTHALMANNA
 DECLARATION
I, ANEENA M, hereby declare that this project report entitled CASTE
PICTURIZATION IN AMBEDKAR’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY WAITING FOR A VISA IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE MOVIE JAI BHIM BY TJ GNANAVEL is an original bona
fide record of project work done by me that it has not previously formed the basis for the award
of any other degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship or other similar title or recognition.

ANEENA M

Semester VI

TGAUAEGR35
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this project report entitled CASTE PICTURIZATION IN

AMBEDKAR’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY WAITING FOR A VISA IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE MOVIE JAI BHIM BY TJ GNANAVEL is a bona fide project work carried out by her
under my supervision and guidance. This dissertation has not formed the basis for the award of
any degree, diploma, fellowship or other similar title or recognition.

Name of the Guide: IRSHIDHA C

Department of English

Perinthalmanna

02-04-2023
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project report attempts to portray an overall view of the casteism in India and its
impacts on the basis of Ambedkar's autobiography waiting for a visa in accordance with the
movie "Jai Bhim" by TJ Gnanavel. The first chapter covers the theme Casteism in India and
the second chapter covers the Caste picturization in Ambedkar's autobiography waiting for a
visa .The third chapter includes the Untouchability in TJ Gnanavel's movie Jai Bhim.

I sincerely and whole heartedly express my gratitude to my guide Mrs. IRSHIDHA C,

Assistant Professor in English, MSTM College Perinthalmanna, for her scholarly guidance
and valuable assistance.

I owe my sincere gratitude to our Head of the department Mrs. SHAMEENA, for her
constant encouragement to complete this work.

I would like to thank all members of the Department of English for their moral support
andassistance.

Last but not least I thank my family and friends for their support and suggestions to
completethis project report.
 CONTENTS

Page No

Introduction .............................................................................................................. 01

Casteism in India....................................................................................................... 07

Cast Picturization in Ambedkar’s Autobiography Waiting for a Visa ...................14

Untouchability in Gnanavel’s movie jai Bhim ......................................................... 20

Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 24

Works Cited… ........................................................................................................... 27

 1

INTRODUCTION

Indian English Literature is an expression of a sensibility which is rooted in

the great Indian tradition, going back to the very dawn of civilization. The British
connection with India was effectively established in the beginning of the seventeenth
century. The British connection was the main source of the rise of Indian English
literature. The East India Company which became the master of Bengal after the
Battle of Plassey (1757), started ruling India, draining out the Indian treasure. In spite
of all this the British were also successful in bringing about modernization in India in
the nineteenth century. Indian English literature was an aspect of this Indian
Renaissance. As per the word renaissance denotes a mode of rebirth can be also
noticed in the field of English literature.

It is frequently referred to as Indo-Anglican literature. Although some Indo-

Anglican works may be classified under the genre of post-colonial literature, the
repertoire of Indian English literature encompasses a wide variety of themes and
ideologies, from the late eighteenth century to the present day, and thereby eludes
easy categorization. It is also known as Indian Writing in English (IWE).

Caste or Jati, is a form of social stratification characterized by endogamy,

hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual
status in a hierarchy and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural
notions of purity and pollution. Caste-based discrimination blights the lives of
hundreds of millions of people around the world. A Global Concern, focuses on the
Dalits or so-called untouchables of South Asia-including Nepal, Bangladesh, India,
Sri Lanka and Pakistan-as well Buraku people of Japan, Osu of Nigeria and certain
groups in Senegal and Mauritania who also suffer from caste-based discrimination.
The prominence of caste among South Asian diaspora communities is also revealed.
“Apartheid may have ended in South Africa, but at least 250 million people
worldwide are still living in a situation of segregation and servitude” (Smita
 2

Narula),Smita Narula is a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch and author of
the report The racism conference cannot ignore this global phenomenon.

Caste denotes a system of rigid social stratification into ranked groups

defined by descent and occupation. Under various caste systems throughout the
world, caste divisions also dominate in housing, marriage and general social
interaction-divisions that are reinforced through the threat of social ostracism,
economic boycotts and even physical violence.

The caste system, as it actually works in India is called Jati or caste. The
term Jati appears in almost all Indian languages and is related to the idea of lineage or
kinship groups. There are perhaps more than 3000 castes in India and there is no one
all-Indian system of ranking them in order of status. Yet in each local area caste
ranking exists and is very much related to purity and pollution. Each caste has some
unique job, but not everyone in the caste performs it. Thus there are barbers who do
not shave, carpenters who do not build and Brahmins who do not act as priests. A
caste is identified in a local setting by whom its members will accept food and water.
People will try to marry their sons and daughters to members of their same caste and
will give their major loyalty to their caste. A caste will usually be organized in to a
biradari (a brotherhood) and this organization carries out the business and oversees
the working of the caste and has the power to exclude an offender from the caste.

Here presents the image of caste picturization in Ambedkar’s autobiography

“Waiting for a Visa” in accordance with the movie Jai Bhim by TJ Gnanavel. The
main idea focuses in this works are about casteism in India.

Waiting for a Visa is a 20-page autobiographical life story of B.R.Ambedkar

written in the period of 1935-36. It consists of reminiscences drawn by Ambedkar,
related to his experiences with untouchability, in his own handwriting. The book is
used as a textbook in Columbia University. The book consists of a very brief
introductory passage followed by six sections; relating Ambedkar’s experiences with
untouchability, starting from his childhood. Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 consists of
 3

Ambedkar’s own experience, with sections 5 and 6 consist of people’s experiences

with untouchability. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891-6 December 1956),
also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was an Indian scholar, jurist, economist,
politician and social reformer, who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and
campaigned against social discrimination towards the untouchables (Dalits), while
also supporting the rights of women and labour. He was independent India’s first
Minister of Law and Justice, the chief architect of the constitution of India and a
founding father of the Republic of India.

Jai Bhim is a film about the plight and resistance of the Irula tribe, a
denotified tribe from Tamil Nadu .Their resistance is aided by an egalitarian lawyer,
played by the popular Tamil actor Suriya. In a country where casteism is still rampant,
movies like Jai Bhim matter.

Today there are many type of studies are conducted in the basis of caste.
There had many books, articles, research papers, documentaries and other works
based on Indian casteism. Marc Galanter’s article Law and Caste in Modern India
focuses on caste and laws pertaining to it during the British rule in India. He describes
the way in which the legal rules and regulations affect the caste as an institution. The
legal view of caste is explained under three headings namely personal law, caste
autonomy and precedence and disabilities. First being legal rights and obligations of a
person which is determined by the identity of the caste group to which he belongs.
During the British period caste was little used for the occurrence of legal regulations
and moreover all castes irrespective of their ranks had to follow the same rights and
duties. However caste customs varied when it came to law of succession, law of
adoption and law of marriage. Marriages between different castes or varnas were not
allowed. Caste autonomy conferred some right to the caste groups enforce certain
rules and which were did by the government. Precedence and disabilities dealt with
the legal interventions with regard to the relations between castes. Courts imposed
certain rules such as restriction on the entry of a particular caste in to temples. This
shows that even though the British did help in reducing the caste discrimination, on
the other hand they ended up aggravating it to a certain extent. The author also takes
 4

about the independent India where the higher castes have lost their dominance over
legal matters and moreover the lower castes have acquired certain government
benefits regarding equality and other preferential treatments. Marc Galanter concludes
this essay by saying that British period may be considered as a period of
sanskritization in legal notion of caste.

India’s Hidden Apartheid, an article written by Gopal Guru and Shraz

Siddva and published in UNESCO Courier, it criticizes the abhorrent caste system in
India. The article opens with a note which says India’s ancient caste systems persists,
subjecting millions to degrading poverty and human rights abuses. Attitudes die hard,
despite government legislations to usher in change. They comment on the caste
system as a means of deployment by the upper caste to suppress the lower caste and
thus attain a monopoly over the wealth, knowledge, power and education. The extent
of discrimination was immense that these so called untouchables were forced to use
drums in order to announce their arrival so that the upper caste is not polluted even by
their shadow falling on them. This article informs us that the term ‘untouchables’ was
abolished in 1950 under the constitution of India but there still exists a glimpse of
discrimination against them. India has however tried to reduce the discrimination by
reserving quotes and reservations for the lower castes in education and for
government jobs.

Leaders: Untouchables and Untouchable; Indian Business is an article

published in The Economist which highlights the point that says that Indian business
does not discriminate against the untouchables or lower castes. Moreover, it
condemns the practice of reservation in private sector because it would damage the
whole business system. Here it says that responsibility for lower caste’s lack of
advancement does not lie with the private sector. There is no evidence that composes
discriminate against them. The real culprit is government and the rotten educational
system it has created. It is not possible to have reservations in business like they have
it educational systems. This article says that as people get richer their concern about
the caste fades. Nowadays middle class Indian families are to be seen marrying
outside their caste than the ritual poor and less likely to wrinkle their nose at a Dalit.
 5

India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart (2007), is a famous

documentary directed by Stalin K, the film reveals the discrimination and atrocities
against Dalits and practice of untouchability rooted in different parts of India.
Motivated by ancient religious edicts, no amount of governmental encouragement has
been able to stem the tragic custom that separates human beings according to their
birth. Those considered untouchable suffer more than isolation, they are forced to
fulfill menial tasks in their communities, drink from separate containers, remove their
shoes on the street as a sign of respect and perform or exhibit many other outward
signs of their perceived inferiority. While the media projects a appositive image of a
democratic India, filmmaker Stalin K spends four years travelling the country to
expose the continued oppression of the Dalits, ‘the broken people’, in a wide variety
of communities, including Sikhs, Christians and Muslims.

From the above review of literature and from various other reliable sources
it can be understood that it is not possible to witness an Indian without a small aspect
of caste system. This is because it has been deeply rooted in the minds of Indians
since ages and it still continues in certain spheres of their life. Caste system has been a
topic of great interest to the Westerners as it fascinates then about the two ideologies
of caste system being important and no being important, existing within the same
country and people.

Here presents the attempt to study casteism in India and caste based cultural
problems in India. Through the topic, it is going to convey the old scenario and
present scenario about casteism in India and their comparisons and differentiations by
reading the text, watching the movie and interpreting in the base of caste, also
compares with current situation.

Waiting for a Visa by B.R.Ambedkar deals with the old situations of

casteism in India and Jai Bhim directed by TJ Gnanavel deals with the story of of the
I rula tribe of Tamil Nadu. “Caste is the unwashable evil in India. Many had already
tried their level best of unraveling the mysteries of caste, but unfortunately it still
remains in many” (Ambedkar, 15), that is the reason for old situations of casteism in
 6

Ambedkar’s autobiography is still existed in the movie Jai Bhim. There had mainly
three chapters in this project. First chapter deals with the casteism in India. Second
chapter deals with the caste picturization in Ambedkers autobiography Waiting for a
visa. Third chapter deals with untouchability in TJ Gnanavel’s movie Jai Bhim.
 7

CHAPTER-1

CASTEISM IN INDIA

The caste system as it exists today is thought to be the result of

developments during the collapse of Mughal era and the rise of British colonial
government in India. The collapse of the Mughal era saw the rise of powerful men
who associated themselves with kings, priests and ascetics, affirming the regal and
martial form of the caste ideal and it also reshaped many apparently casteless social
groups in to differentiated caste communities. The British Raj furthered this
development, making rigid caste organization a central mechanism of administration.
Between 1860 and 1920, the British formulated the caste system in to their system of
governance, granting administrative jobs and senior appointments only to Christians
and people belonging to certain castes. Social unrest during the 1920s led to a change
in this policy. From then on, the colonial administration began a policy of positive
discrimination by reserving a certain percentage of government jobs for the lower
castes. In 1948, negative discrimination on the basis of caste was banned by law and
further enshrined in the Indian constitution; however, the system continues to be
practiced in parts of India. Caste based difference have also been practiced in other
regions in the Indian subcontinent like Nepalese Buddhism, Christianity, Islam,
Judaism and Sikhism. It has been challenged by many reformist Hindu movements,
Islam, Sikhism, Christianity and Buddhism.

We have heard of the hierarchy of Shaikh, Saiyed, Mughal, Pathan among

the Muslims. Furthermore, there are castes like Teli, Dhobi, Darjee among the
Muslims. Similarly, caste consciousness among the Christians in India is not
unknown. Since a vast majority of Christians in India were converted from Hindu
fold, the converts have carried the caste system in to Christianity. Among the Sikhs
 8

again we have so many castes including Jat Sikh and Majahabi Sikh. In view of this
we can well imagine the extent of caste diversity in India. In addition to the above
described major forms of diversity, we have diversity of many other sorts like
settlements pattern-tribal, rural, urban; marriage and kinship pattern along religious
and regional lines and so on.

Partition of India in 1947 and its products like migration of refugees and
their rehabilitation, post-independent nation building processes in India, Pakistan and
Bangladesh. In the east, in Bengal, the marginal social groups like Scheduled Castes,
however, have been sadly neglected. But many aspect of impact of partition on the
Scheduled Castes are yet to be properly reconstructed. Post-Independence, the
relevance of caste system in Indian society has certainly reduced but not diminished.
Because of law, an open display of caste discrimination in offices, markets and places
of worship has reduced to a large extent; however, perceptions and prejudices in
private matters like marriage and household have continued to exist. People from
oppressed classes have been granted reservations in government educational institutes
and jobs, which has helped to break traditional barriers of occupation and has brought
those people in the mainstream; but at the same time, a debate on meritocracy and
‘forward-looking’ attitude has ensued which goes on till today. New developments
took place after India achieved Independence, when the policy of caste-based
reservation of jobs was formalized with lists of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes. Since 1950, the country has enacted many laws and social initiatives to protect
and improve the socio-economic conditions of its lower caste population.

Societal stratification and the inequality that comes with it, still exists in
India and has been thoroughly criticized. Government policies aim at reducing this
inequality by reservation, quota for backward classes, but paradoxically also have
created an incentive to keep this stratification alive according to sociologist Arvind
Shah. The Indian government officially recognizes historically discriminated
communities of India such as the untouchables under the designation of scheduled
castes and certain economically backward castes as Other Backward Class.
 9

The Government of India provides financial incentives to inter-caste couples

under the Dr.Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration through inter-caste marriages.
Various state governments such as those of Odisha, Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka,
Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Maharashtra also have similar
schemes.

A 2003 article The Telegraph observed that inter-caste marriage and dating
were common in urban India. But on a nation-wide basis, the proportion of such
practice is still small. A study in 2005 found that inter-caste marriages had nearly
doubled between 1981 and 2005 but only reaching the level of 6.1%, majority of
marriages in India are still endogamous with inter-caste and inter-religious marriage
found mostly among those who are economically, educationally, culturally advanced
and urban oriented.

Caste related violence has occurred and occurs in India in various forms.
“Discriminatory and cruel, in human, and degrading treatment of over 165 million
people in India has been justified on the basis of caste” (Human Rights Watch). Caste
is descent-based and hereditary in nature. It is a characteristic determined by one’s
birth in to a particular caste, irrespective of the faith practiced by the individual. Caste
denotes a traditional system of rigid social stratification in to ranked groups defined
by descent and occupation. Caste divisions in India dominate in housing, marriage,
employment and general social interaction-divisions that are reinforced through the
practice and threat of social ostracism, economic boycotts and physical violence.
According to a 2005 UN report, approximately 31,440 cases of violent acts committed
against Dalits were reported in 1996. The UN report claimed 1.33 cases of violent acts
per 10,000 Dalit people. For context, the UN reported between 40 and 55 cases of
violent acts per 10,000 people in developed countries in 2005. Some examples are
Anti-Brahmin riots in Maharashtra (1948), Dalelchak-Bhagora massacre (1987), Bara
massacre in Bihar (1992), Suicide of Dr.Payal Tadvi (2019), Hathras gang rape and
murder (2020), Khairlanji massacre (2006).

Caste persists within the Indian diaspora. For example, Dalit people in the
Unites States report experiencing discrimination and violence. In 2020 the California
Department of Fair Employment and Housing initiated a lawsuit against Cisco and
 10

two of its employees for alleged discrimination against an Indian engineer because he
was from a lower caste than them. According to a 2018 survey by civil rights group
Equality Labs cited in the lawsuit, 67% Dalits reported being treated unfair at their
workplace because of their caste.

The government of the United Kingdom ran a public constitution on ways to

ensure legal protection against caste discrimination from March 2017 to September
2017. Based on the constitution the government decided that the best way to provide
the necessary protection against unlawful discrimination because of caste is by relying
on emerging caste law as developed by courts and tribunals.

Article 15 of the constitution of India prohibits discrimination based on caste

and Article 17 declared the practice of untouchability to be illegal. In 1995, India
enacted the Untouchability Act (later changed as The Protection of Civil Rights Act).
It extended the reach of law, from intent to mandatory enforcement. The Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act was passed in India in 1989.

The Mandal Commission was established in 1979 to identify the socially or

educationally backward and to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas
for people to redress caste discrimination. In 1980, the commission’s report affirmed
the affirmative action practice under Indian law, whereby additional members of
lower castes- the other backward classes- were given exclusive access to another 27
percent of government jobs and slots in public universities, in addition to the 23
percent already reserved for the Dalits and Tribals. When V.P.Singh’s administration
tried to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission in 1990, massive
protests were held in the country. Many alleged that the politicians were trying to cash
in on caste-based reservations for purely pragmatic electoral purposes.

There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBC’s in India; it is

generally estimated to be sizable, but many believe that it is lower than the figures
quoted by either the Mandal Commission or the National Sample Survey.

The reservation system had led to widespread protests, such as the 2006
Indian anti-reservation protests, with many complaining of reverse discrimination
against the forward castes (the castes that do not qualify for the reservation).
 11

In May 2011, the government approved poverty, religion and caste census to
identify poverty in different social backgrounds. The census would also help the
government to re-examine and possibly undo some of the policies which were formed
in haste such as the Mandal Commission in order to bring more objectivity to the
policies with respect to contemporary realities. Critics of the reservation system
believe that there is actually no social stigma at all associated with belonging to a
backward caste and that because of the huge constitutional incentives in the form of
educational and job reservations, a large number of people will falsely identify with a
backward caste to receive the benefits. This would not only result in a marked
inflation of the backward caste’s numbers, but also lead to enormous administrative
and judicial resources being devoted to social unrest and litigation when such dubious
caste declaration are challenged.

The caste system has been criticized by many Indian social reformers.
Basava (1105-1167) arguably one of the first social reformers, Basava championed
devotional worship that rejected temple worship and rituals and replaced it with
personalized direct worship of Shiva through practices such as individually worn
icons and symbols like a small linga. This approach brought Shiva’s presence to
everyone and at all times, without gender, class or caste discrimination. His teachings
and verses such as Kayakave Kailasa (Work is the path to Kailash (bliss, heaven), or
Work is worship) became popular.

Jyotirao Phule (1827-1890) vehemently criticized any explanations that the

caste system was natural and ordained by the Creator in Hindu texts. If Brahma
wanted castes, argued Phule, he would have ordained the same for other creatures.
There are no castes in species of animals or birds, so why should there be one among
human animals. In his criticism Phule added, Brahmins cannot claim superior status
because of caste, because they hardly bothered with these when winning and dining
with Europeans. Professions did not make castes and castes did nt decide one’s
profession. If someone does a job that is dirty, it does not make them inferior, in the
same way that no mother is inferior because she cleans the excreta of her baby. Ritual
occupation or tasks, argued Phule, do not make any human being superior of inferior.

Vivekananda similarly criticized caste as one of the many human institutions

that bars the power of free thought and action of an individual. Caste or no caste,
 12

creed or no creed, any man, or class, or caste, or nation, or institution that bars the
power of free thought and bars action of an individual is devilish and must go down.
Liberty of thought and action asserted Vivekananda is the only condition of life, of
growth and of well-being.

Mahatma Gandhi, in his younger years disagreed with same of Ambedkar’s

observations, rationale and interpretations about the caste system in India. Caste, he
claimed, has saved Hinduism and disintegration. But like every other institution it has
suffered from excrescences. He considered the four divisions of varnas to be
fundamental, natural and essential. The innumerable sub castes of Jatis he considered
to be a hindrance. He advocated to fuse all the Jatis into a more global divisions of
varnas. In the 1930’s Gandhi began to advocate for the idea of heredity in caste to be
rejected, arguing that assumption of superiority by any person over any other is a sin
against God and man. Thus caste, in so far as it cannot distinctions in status, is an evil.

He claimed that varnashrama of the shastras is today non-existent in

practice. The present caste system is theory antithesis of varnashrama. Caste in its
current form, claimed Gandhi had nothing to do with religion. The discrimination and
trauma of castes, argued Gandhi, was the result of custom, the origin of which is
unknown. Gandhi said that the custom’s origin was a moot point, because one could
spiritually sense that these customs were wrong and that any caste system is harmful
to the spiritual well-being of man and economic well-being of a nation. The really of
colonial India was, Gandhi noted, that there was no significant disparity between the
economic condition and earnings of members of different castes, whether it was a
Brahmin or an artisan or a farmer of low caste. India was poor, and Indians of all
castes were poor. Thus, we argued that the cause of trauma was not in the caste
system, but elsewhere. Judged by the standards being applied to India, Gandhi
claimed, every human society would fail. He acknowledged that the caste system in
India spiritually blinded some Indians, then added that this did not mean that every
Indian or even most Indians blindly followed the caste system, or everything from
ancient Indian scriptures of doubtful authenticity and value. India, like any other
society, cannot be judged by a caricature of its worst specimens. Gandhi states that
one must consider the best it produced as well, along with the vast majority in
impoverished Indian villages struggling to make ends meet, with woes of which there
was little knowledge.
 13

There had many literary works and movies related to caste system in India.
Mulk Raj Anand’s debut novel, Untouchable (1935), is based on the theme of
untouchability. The Hindi film Achhut Kannya (untouchable maiden, 1936), starring
Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani, was an early reformist film. The debut novel of
Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things (1997), also has themes surrounding the
caste across religions. The Essential Writings of B.R.Ambedkar by Valerian
Rodrigues, Deliverance by Premchand, Samskara: A Rite for a Dead Man by
U.R.Ananthamurthy, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, Why I am a Hindu by
Kanch Ilaiah. India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart (2007), is a famous
documentary directed by Stalin k, the film reveals the discrimination and atrocities
against Dalits and practice of untouchability rooted in different parts of India.
 14

CHAPTER-2

CASTE PICTURIZATION IN AMBEDKAR’S

AUTOBIOGRAPHY WAITING FOR A VISA

Here presents the famous work of Ambedkar named Waiting for a Visa, is
also the autobiography of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (born in
April 14, 1891, Mhow, India-died in December 6, 1656, New Delhi), leader of the
Dalits (scheduled castes; formerly called untouchables) and law minister of the
Government of India (1947-51).

Born to a Dalit Mahar family of western India, he was as a boy humiliated

by his high-caste school fellows. His father was an officer in the Indian army.
Awarded a scholarship by the Gaekwar (ruler) of Baroda (now Vadodara), he studied
at universities in the United States, Britain and Germany. He entered the Baroda
Public Service at the Gaekwar’s request, but, again ill-treated by his high-caste
colleagues, he turned to legal practice and to teaching. He soon established his
leadership among Dalits, founded several journals on their behalf and succeeded in
obtaining special representation for them in the legislative council of the government.
Contesting Mahatma Gandhi’s claim to speak for Dalits (or Harijans, as Gandhi called
them), he wrote What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables (1945).

In 1947, Ambedkar became the law minister of the Government of India. He

took a leading part in the framing of the Indian constitution, outlawing discrimination
against untouchables and skillfully helped to steer it through the assembly. He
resigned in 1951, disappointed at his lack of influence in the government. In October
1956, in despair because of the perpetuation of untouchability in Hindu docrine he
renounced Hinduism and became a Buddhist, together with about 2,00,00 fellow
Dalits, at a ceremony in Nagpur. Ambedkar’s book The Buddha and His Dhamma
appeared posthumously in 1957 and it was republished as The Buddha and His
Dhamma: A Critical Edition in 2011, edited, introduced and annotated by Aakash
Singh Rathore and Ajay Verma.
 15

Waiting for a Visa is a famous work and autobiography of Ambedkar. It

deals with the experience of Ambedkar with untouchability in his life. Here are some
of the reminiscences drawn by Dr.Ambedkar in his own handwriting. The MSS traced
in the collection of the People’s Education Society were published by the society as a
booklet on 19th March 1990. The book consists of a very brief introductory passage
followed by six sections; relating Ambedkar’s experiences with untouchability,
starting from his childhood. There are total 6 sections in this autobiography. Sections
1, 2, 3 and 4 consists of Ambedkar’s own experiences, while sections 5 and 6 consist
of other people’s experiences with untouchability. In a short one paragraph
introduction, Ambedkar introduces the theme of his book, especially for the benefit of
foreigners and those who may not be familiar with the concept of untouchability. In
this he says that foreigners know the existence of untouchability but they are unable to
realize how oppressive it is in its actuality. He shows that how the lower caste people
or untouchables had treated in the society, they want to do heavy jobs for higher caste
Hindus, collect food at the doors of the Hindus, buy spices and oil at the shops of the
Hindu Bania from a distance, regard the village in every way as their home and yet
never touch nor be touched by anyone belonging to the village. He mentions two
methods by which this cases of the treatment could be achieved. But he is not naming
it, he says that the latter would be more effective than the former.

After introduction he divided the autobiography into 6 sections. In section 1:

A childhood journey to Gorgaon becomes a nightmare. The first section describes a
journey undertaken in 1901 by the ten year-old Ambedkar and his siblings, from their
residence in Satara to Gorgaon, to meet their father and the discriminatory behaviour
they experience en route at Masur which makes their very journey appear impossible
and dangerous.

Section 2: Back from the west and unable to find lodging in Baroda. This
section describes the deep divides that existed in Baroda during the time, not just
between castes, but also between religious. In 1918, upon returning to India (after
years in USA and a year in London), Ambedkar went to Baroda state to work as a
probationer in the Accountant General’s Office. However, upon arriving in Baroda, he
realized that none of the Hindu hotels would allow him to stay due to his lower caste.
 16

He found a Parsi inn, but here, non-parsis were not allowed to stay, he and the Parsi
inn-keeper reached a compromise, where by Ambedkar gave his name as a Parsi and
was allowed to stay. However, this fraud (his word) was discovered by other Parsis
and on the eleventh day of his stay, a group of angry Parsi men, armed with sticks,
arrived to remove him from the inn. He had to leave the inn that very day, and not
having a place to stay, was forced to leave Baroda and return to Bombay to find work
elsewhere.

Section 3: Pride, awkwardness and a dangerous accident in Chalisgaon. In

this section, Ambedkar recounts an embrassing accident that occurred to him in the
village of Chalisgaon (Maharashtra) in 1929. He had been appointed as a member to a
committee instituted by the Bombay government, to investigate allegations of
oppression and grievances of untouchables. After carrying out investigations in the
district of Khandesh, en route to Bombay, he disembarked at Chalisgaon to
investigate a case of social boycott by Hindus against untouchables of that village.
The untouchables of the village requested him to spend the night with them, but as the
tongawalas considered it below their dignity to cart an untouchable (Ambedkar), the
villagers had to hire a tonga (horse-driven carriage) and ride it on their own. They did
so, however the untouchable riding the carriage was a novice and had an accident as
they were crossing the river on a culvert. Ambedkar was thrown off the carriage as a
wheel got stuck between the stones of the culvert. This resulted in multiple injuries to
Ambedkar and a fracture. The horse and carriage fell into the river.

Ambedkar feels that the pride and dignity of the village intouchables (they
did not want their visitor to have to walk to the village) made them take undue risks
with the safety of their visitor. He also realized that even lowly menial tongawalas felt
that a highly educated barrister at law untouchable was below them.

Section 4: Polluting the water in the fort of Daulatabad. This section relates
to an incident in 1934 and showed Ambedkar how Muslims also treated untouchables
as lower caste.
 17

Ambedkar and a group of his friends had gone to visit Daulatabad fort,
during a trip to Aurangabad (then in the Nisam state of Hyderabad). On arriving at the
fort, Ambedkar’s group washed themselves with water kept in a tank at the fort
entrance. However, after a few minutes, an old Mohammedan started to run after
them, shouting “the Dheds (untouchables) have polluted our water” and soon there
was a commotion, with a large group of Muslims shooting at Ambedkar’s group and
at the local untouchable community. A riot nearly resulted till Ambedkar asked them
whether they would have behaved in the same manner if an untouchable who had
converted to Islam had used that water.

Section 5: A doctor refuses to give proper care and a woman dies. This
section consists of a letter which was published by M.K.Gandhi in its issue of 12
December 1929. It recounts the sad experience of a Harijan in Kathiawar, whose wife
fell sick soon after giving birth to a child. The Hindu (Brahmin) doctor refused to treat
her directly or see them in the house. The doctor finally agreed to see the sick lady if
she were brought outside the Harijan colony and treated here without touching her, by
passing the thermometer indirectly through a Muslim. Some medicine was given to
her and when her condition aggravated, the doctor refused to see her. She died
subsequently.

Section 6: A young clerk is abused and threatened until he gives up his job.
This section recounts the narrated experience of a Bhangi boy, recounted on 6 march
1938 at a Bhangi meeting in Dadar, Bombay. The educated boy got employment as a
Talati in the government district offices of Borsad, Kheda, in what is now Gujarat.
However, he was refused accommodation there, being an untouchable. Neither did the
untouchables of the village accommodate him, fearing the wrath of Hindus who felt
that the Bhangi boy was aiming for a job which was beyond him.

At the government office, his colleagues discriminated against him, treated

him badly and did not allow him to drink water when thirsty for fear of the water
getting polluted by his touch. Ultimately, matters only got worse, with a large crowd
of locals threatening to kill him. He left this job and returned home.
 18

The first-person narration of Waiting for a Visa not only records the
experiences of cateist discrimination that Ambedkar had suffered personally, but also
helps link them to the present day caste prejudices in our society and the contribution
that anti-caste movements have made to dismantle them. Honesty is the heart of
Waiting for a Visa, having even been written by Ambedkar in long-hand before going
to the printer. It talks about specific cases of discrimination, than give a general
overview so that even when the stories are similar, their impact is unique-the way he
narrates is almost having a one-on-one with the reader.

A data-driven approach accompanied by the depth of human emotions helps

Ambedkar make an effective impact on the readers who had not only be moved but
also be able to use these scenarios to understand the conflicted history of Independent
India.

Wrapped among six racy chapters narrating different experiences of

discrimination, Ambedkar recalls every little detail of his feelings and compels the
readers to visualize his pain that stayed with him for a very long time. Centuries-old
biases are laid bare and the sincerity with which Ambedkar’s emotions fill the pages
is Waiting for a Visa’s biggest strength. Ambedkar describes his struggles both as a
child as well as an adult to achieve basic yet indispensable things like water, shelter,
food, travel, medical assistance and to some extent education and job too- the things
we call ‘essentials’ today, especially in the time of this global pandemic. Ambedkar
attempts to draw the reader’s attention to the Dalit community’s concern of fighting
over-a-century-old battle to claim these amenities and still being disappointed at
several steps.

Waiting for a Visa also talks about the idea of education in our country.
While education has been an important tool for Ambedkar to challenge the caste
Hindu society (comprising upper caste Hindus), the readers will find themselves
internalizing the disappointments that Dalits experience even after pursuing quality
degrees and getting good jobs. Moreover, in a few cases Ambedkar shows that many
 19

‘well-educated’ uppercaste Hindu doctors would rather risk the lives of their
‘untouchable’ patients than come in close contact with them. Linking his own
experience of having to let go of a job opportunity in Baroda to his caste identity
barring him from claiming shelter in the city, he moves on to describing a similar kind
of pain of another individual from a marginalized community.

Waiting for a Visa is as much an autobiography as it is an intimate record of

other members of the Dalit community, thus becoming more than a memoir of an
individual. Besides highlighting discrimination, he also points out and shines light on
acts of resistance. This speaks for Ambedkar’s goal to empower Dalits who shouldn’t
be waiting for upper caste Hindus to rescue them from their atrocities. One of the
most powerful examples is when Ambedkar led almost 10,000 Dalits during the
Mahad Satyagraha and urged them to take up the fight for their right to drink clean
water. Moving on, throughout his life, Ambedkar continued presenting ideas of
reformation that focused on politicizing lower-caste individuals and women.

While reading Waiting for a Visa, it may seem that some of the incidents are
exactly the same. Instead of being repetitive, it reinforces the atrocities in the mind of
the reader, making it a timeless read to understand castesism in India. The book
uncovers the continued struggleof transforming the Hindu society. It not only
challenges ongoing prejudices but also creates a dialogue and even someone with a
strong casteist way of life will be forced to question their beliefs. The title Waiting for
a Visa captures the essence of the book and paints Ambedkar’s anxiety and longing to
get his identity ‘sanctioned’ by this ecosystem.
 20

CHAPTER-3

UNTOUCHABILITY IN TJ GNANAVEL’S MOVIE JHAIBHIM

Jai Bhim” is a film about the plight and resistance of the Irula tribe, a denotified
tribe from Tamil Nadu. Their resistance is aided by an egalitarian lawyer, played by
the popular Tamil actor Suriya. In a country where casteism is still rampant, movies
like Jai Bhim matter.Jai Bhim is a story that speaks volumes with each and every
scene. It was also nice to see a mainstream Tamil actor like Suriya choose to portray a
role about caste issues without having a saviour complex, unlike the Bollywood film
“Article 15”, where everyone was too busy lauding Ayushmann Khurrana.Although
one must note that superstars Rajinikanth and Dhanush have starred in many films
dealing with issues faced by the Dalit, Bahujan and Adivasi (DBA) communities.
Think Kaala, Asuran and Karnan.

Jai Bhim’s story revolves around the Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu—sons and
daughters of the hills who have been living a life of misery, as they attempt to
unsuccessfully build a better life for themselves in a land that refuses to see beyond
their caste identity. Rajakannu, one of our main protagonists, is accused of stealing
from the village president. As a result of this, he is falsely detained by the
police.When he and his relatives go missing from the police station after being
brutally beaten up by the police, it is left to his pregnant wife, Sengani, to figure out
where he has gone, and uncover the truth behind her husband’s disappearance.It is to
be noted that the plot of the film is based on a real case, that led to a landmark
judgment by the Chennai High Court in 1993.

Instead of focusing on the heroics of it all, at every step of the way, the director,
TJ Gnanavel, brings the focus back to the injustice of it.He reminds us of the people
and the rich, complex lives they lead, rather than the alien gaze with which most
movies treat caste oppression. It is by no means a perfect take on the subtleties of
caste politics, but I believe that it is an important attempt nonetheless.They say that
the narrative and representation might be in control of the oppressors and far from
ideal, but it is still important. I agree!
 21

It matters to have a scene in which a tribal woman walks away with her head
held high. She is shown as someone with strength and power. Representation matters!
While the courtroom is dramatized, we need to move away from the idea that a
political movie cannot have its share of entertainment value as well. As for the
controversial slapping scene which has drawn Prakash Raj much flak. I believe the
actor was quite right when he said that the propaganda only lies in the hearts of those
who could watch the movie and chose to focus on the slap and not the issue at hand.
The scene establishes beforehand that the character in question is a Tamilian, who
chose to speak in Hindi in an attempt to lie.

Prakash Raj, who plays the role of an honest police officer, realizes this and
slaps the character to make him speak in Tamil. If you choose to see it as a political
statement, feel free to do so .But, make sure that the same levels of political
awareness are present when you watch mainstream Bollywood movies as well.
Otherwise, it’s just plain hypocrisy. For example, the “Sooryavanshi” trailer has
scenes where the terrorists are seen taking namaaz before they kill people. The
islamophobia is blatant.

Also, Jai Bhim’s focus on a denotified tribe enables public knowledge about
DNTs (previously, disparagingly labelled as “criminal tribes” by the British). As
Disha Wadekar puts it on Twitter, “Group criminality and police atrocities, is not just
a ‘tribal issue’, but a caste issue at its very core.” Countries with high social
inequality, like India, will do poorly in economic growth – and we are witnessing
it. It’s a no brainer that the fountainhead of inequality in India is caste. As Dr BR
Ambedkar said, “Caste system is not merely division of labour. It is also a division of
labourers.”

Dr Ambedkar also put it very clearly that "turn in any direction you like; caste
is the monster that crosses your path. You cannot have political reform; you cannot
have economic reform unless you kill this monster.” Jai Bhim is one such step in
killing this monster. Though the movie is primarily about the atrocity and oppression
that the State inflicts on the poor and underprivileged, the essence is caste; the caste-
driven inequality. And the rule of law that is thwarted by deep fissures and hierarchy
 22

that is primarily sustained by caste and its twin sister, patriarchy. Suriya has given life
and soul to the character of Chandru, an upright lawyer who does not flinch even for a
second and holds that simmering anger against inequality.

Prakash Raj has aced his role as a conscientious senior police officer, part of the
system. Lijomol Jose, who plays Senganni in the movie, stays in our mind as the tribal
woman whose courage makes all the difference. Her deep eyes penetrate us to
question our comfortable silence on the inequality around us. In a deeper sense,
momentous societal changes occur when the women stand up against the regressive
norms of society.

Movies like Jai Bhim, Kaala, etc, represent the angrier version of the oppressed
compared to the softer and nuanced version from earlier movie directors like K
Balachander, Bharathiraja, Bhagyaraj, among others. A flat world will impose a close
scrutiny of injustice and unfairness as such societies will struggle to compete and
succeed.It’s time that the public takes up a fight against inequality and oppressive
social norms, with the courage and determination that Suriya displays in this movie.
As someone said, he has gone beyond the character, with his words and expressions
that appear to emanate deep within him.

Every lawyer, every official, every political leader can actually become
advocate Chandru and fight the negative elements in a legal manner. Indeed, the
change has to come from the government system. Everybody in the government
should realise that in this aspect they shall be the agent of change. They are mandated
to do that. They are mandated to dismantle caste and treat all equal. If they can’t even
do that, they don’t deserve to be in the government system which is run by the
Constitution that proclaims equality before law and protection to the weaker section.

The society also should start the dismantling of the caste from the government.
There should be zero tolerance towards anyone in the government whose vision is
coloured by caste.We need to do this for the sake of our country so that we can
become a more equal society, so that we can become an economic superpower. If we
are true patriots, we have to question and dismantle caste and patriarchy
 23

The arc of the universe does not bend towards justice automatically. It has to be
bent. We need to do that. No one will do it for us. Suriya seems to be doing that both
on the screen and off the screen. Kudos!

The last scene in the movie is the best. Advocate Chandru is relaxing with
one leg over another and reading a newspaper. The daughter of Senganni wants to
imitate him, like most of the kids imitate the elders. After taking the newspaper in her
hand and reclining back, she stops for a second wondering if she can cross her legs
with one leg over, an indication of confidence and equality. Chandru looks at her and
encourages her with a smile. The kid completes the mime with confidence.
 24

CONCLUSION

Waiting for a Visa written by Ambedkar and Jai Bhim directed by TJ

Gnanavel are main two works that deals with the topic casteism in India and also the
suppression, oppression, cruelties faced by the lower caste people in our country. In
Ambedkar’s work, also it is an autobiography of him, says about the incidents that
happened in Ambedkar’s life because of a Dalit. He speaks on incidents in which his
life was threatened or disrespected. He also relays some anecdotes from other Dalits
he gathered while investigating Dalit issues for the government. He divided the book
into six sections. In the First section, he recounts how in his childhood he could not
secure a wagon ride to another city because he was Dalit. In the second, he also
recounts how he could not get lodging because he was a Dalit upon return from
graduate school. He found lodging in a Parsi hotel under a false name until the locals
found out he was a Dalit. In third, Ambedkar retells an incident in which he was in a
wagon wreck because of an in experienced Dalit driver. All the upper caste drivers in
the area would not transport a Dalit, so an inexperienced Dalit had to drive the wagon.
In fourth, he discussed an incident in which he was considered to be polluting the
water tank of a Muslim. In fifth deals with a doctor who refused to give treatment to a
Dalit. The refusal of treatment resulted in the woman’s death. In the last section it
deals with a young clerk who was abused and threatened until he gives up his job.

Jai Bhim” is a film about the plight and resistance of the Irula tribe, a denotified
tribe from Tamil Nadu. Their resistance is aided by an egalitarian lawyer, played by
the popular Tamil actor Suriya. In a country where casteism is still rampant, movies
like Jai Bhim matter.

Jai Bhim is a story that speaks volumes with each and every scene. It was also
nice to see a mainstream Tamil actor like Suriya choose to portray a role about caste
issues without having a saviour complex, unlike the Bollywood film “Article 15”,
where everyone was too busy lauding Ayushmann Khurrana.
 25

Although one must note that superstars Rajinikanth and Dhanush have starred
in many films dealing with issues faced by the Dalit, Bahujan and Adivasi (DBA)
communities. Think Kaala, Asuran and Karnan.

Jai Bhim’s story revolves around the Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu—sons and
daughters of the hills who have been living a life of misery, as they attempt to
unsuccessfully build a better life for themselves in a land that refuses to see beyond
their caste identity.

If we analyze the movie and autobiography, we can see so much similarities

between movie and autobiography, we can see that two of them are dealing with the
problem based on caste and Ambedkar had a key role in both of them. Also the
problems faced by Ambedkar was so similar to the problems faced by the lower caste
people in the movie. The only one dissimilarity we can find here is the time gap of
these works, Waiting for a Visa was written in the period of 1935-36 and Jai Bhim
was released in the year 2021. But both of them deals with the same problem. It
shows that caste based problems are not destroyed from our country, it is still creating
problems throughout our country.

Through this topic it is conveyed that the old scenario and present scenario
of casteism in India are similar and comparable. The autobiography of Ambedar has
still value in today’s generation that means, casteism is still present in India and
minds of the people, and it is not vanished from our society. Still, there are many
problems based on casteism and we are facing it each and every day in our country.
Recently in September 2020, a Dalit girl in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh was
allegedly murdered by 4 men from Thakur caste. According to victim’s family, the
girl was gang raped by Thakurs of the village and in order to eliminate the evidences
her backbone was broken and the tongue was cut by the perpetrators.

The Indian Government has enacted laws to remove untouchability and has
also brought in many reforms to improve the quality of life for the weaker sections of
society. Few among them are: constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights,
 26

abolition of ‘untouchability’ in 1950, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe

(Prevention of Atrocities) Act in 1989, provision of reservation in places like
educational institutions, for employment opportunities, etc., establishing social
welfare departments and national commissions for the welfare of scheduled caste and
tribes. Those measures adopted by the government have brought some relief to the
weaker sections of society. The urban areas have shown good amount of impact and
some improvement. However, people in rural areas and villages still face extreme
discrimination. We indeed have a long way to go in achieving the objectives set to
eradicate and abolish discrimination, on the basis of caste and creed. It now depends
on our efforts and a change in our mindset is sure to see a perpetual change, bringing
about equality for all.

So the best solution to abolish the caste system in India is to change the
behaviour and mindset of today’s generation and youth sections of the society. They
are the next future, if they change, the society can be changed. Consider all as our
brothers and sisters, treat all equally without looking to caste, religion, sex, money,
etc., rise the voice against the corruption and violence happening in our cou ntry. Once
Mahatma Gandhi had told “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
 27

WORKS CITED

PRIMARY SOURCES

.Waiting for a Visa. Ambedkar, Bhimrao Ramji. India:Peoples Education Society,

1990.

Jai Bhim TJ Gnanavel, 2D Entertainments, 2021

SECONDARY SOURCES

Ambedkar, Bhimrao Ramji. Annihilation of Caste. India:Navayana, 1936.

Ambedkar, Bhimrao Ramji. Castes in India:Their mechanism, Genesis and

Development. New York:Indian Antiquary, 1916.

Marcel Thekaekara, Mari. India’s Caste System is Alive and Kicking-and Maiming
and Killing, The Guardian, 15 August 2016.

Mittal Mittal, Abhishek. A Brief History of the Caste System and Untouchability in
India, The Logical Indian, 30 September 2016.

Sivaramakrishnan, Arvind. Global Casteism, a Reality, The Hindu, 17 April 2010.